Category Archives: Ardell

Inspired By Victoria’s Secret Glowing & Angelic Makeup

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When it comes to makeup looks, I appear to be experimental here on the blog (check out all my looks here). However, on a day-to-day basis, I actually wear the same simple makeup. I wear a toned down version of this Victoria’s Secret runway look — from 2008, I think, but I could be wrong. I have been wearing a lot of the same products: MAKE UP FOR EVER #2 Sculpting Kit to contour, MAC Supercontinental Blush on the cheeks, a mix of Le Métier de Beauté Crème Caramel Lip Creme and Revlon Sunbaked Colorburst Lip Gloss.

The Victoria’s Secret look is actually very easy to do. It’s a simple formula, really: contoured cheeks, glowing bronzed skin, glossy pink lips, and a pearly champagne highlight on the eyes. Follow along to see how I created this look.

Get the Look

For the eyes, fill in the eyebrows with a taupe grey eyeshadow (MAC Brun and Coquette). Highlight the brows and inner corners with a pearly champagne (from CARGO Vienna quad). Apply a pearly beige (MAC All That Glitters) all over the lid. Use a matte taupe (MAC Coquette) to lightly contour the crease with a fluffy blending brush (MAC 217). Take the same eyeshadow with an eyeliner brush and run it along the lower lash line. Next, tap the fluffy blending brush lightly into a matte reddish brown (Mary Kay Sienna / review) and apply to the outer V and blend well. Line the lower lash line with the same eyeshadow.

Apply a thin winged eyeliner on the top lash line (Maybelline Master Precise Ink Pen Eyeliner), and then apply mascara. I opted to wear a natural set of false lashes (Ardell 109) to pump up the flirt factor. ;)

For the skin, after an illuminating primer (Laura Mercier Radiance Primer / review), foundation and concealer, brush on bronzer (Guerlain 03 Brunettes Terracotta Light / review) on the forehead, nose, cheeks and chin. Sculpt the cheeks and temples with a contour powder (MAKE UP FOR EVER #2 Sculpting Kit).  Apply a shimmery highlight on the apples of the cheeks (MAC Pro Gold Studio Finish Face Powder / review). Then I layered a glowing pink blush (MAC Supercontinental / review) on the apples of the cheeks.

For the lips, I smoosh together a brownish pink lipgloss (Revlon Sunbaked) and a golden gloss (Le Métier de Beauté Crème Caramel).

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Lipstick Bandits: The One That Started The Obsession.

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MAC Lipstick in Crosswires ($17.50) was one of the first to join my small lipstick army a couple of years ago. I truly believe it was my gateway drug to brighter, bolder lipstick (like OMG Impassioned!).


MAC Lipstick in Crosswires

At the time, I was obsessed with finding a lipstick to match what Leighton Meester was wearing here. I thought Crosswires was the perfect candidate.


Source

When I first put this on, I actually thought it was too bright that it was unwearable. Who was that person? Now this is one of my most wearable lipsticks. Perfect for the warmer months, when I’ll be wearing a fresh face more often. O hai, Spring, are you coming soon?


MAC Crosswires Lipstick

Anyways.

So long story short: MAC Lipstick Crosswires was bright, and now it’s wearable. Do we get that?

The only thing I don’t like about this — now that I’ve tried a kajillion and a half lipsticks — is the formula. My lips don’t really agree with the Cremesheen formula. While they impart amazing amount of pigment, they tend to suck the moisture out of my lips. So I make sure to layer balm underneath, or a moisturizing gloss on top.

I thought I might as well do a full look with this, taking Leighton Meester’s fresh face as inspiration.

Get the Look

For the eyes, pat on a shimmery light beige (MAC All That Glitters) on the lid. Using a tapered crease brush, apply a warm matte brown (MAC Soft Brown) to the crease. Follow with a taupe brown (MAC Coquette) to the crease to create a natural-looking shadow. On the outer corner of the lid, apply a matte chocolate brown (MAKE UP FOR EVER #17 Espresso) to create depth. Line the upper lash line with black liquid or gel liner (YSL Shocking) and wing out slightly. Line the top waterline with a black pencil. Line the bottom lash line with a shimmery taupe brown gel liner (MAC Added Goodness Fluidline).

I decided to add a few short and medium Ardell lash flares to add more volume and length on the outer corners before I used mascara.

For the cheeks, apply a coral blush to the apples of the cheeks (Tarte Blissful). Add a luminous pink highlight on the top of the cheeks (Marcelle Pink Fusion).

For the lips, apply coral lipstick (MAC Crosswires) straight from the tube for maximum colour intensity.

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Special Event Makeup: Smokey Cat Eyes FOTD.

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It’s almost June, and you probably know someone getting married in the next month or two.  If you’re looking for inspiration on how to do your makeup, here’s a look that I wore to a wedding last weekend.  It’s enough to make your eyes pop without wearing making the eyes too heavy.  The emphasis is on the smokey eye liner and the shape. :)  I loved wearing this look, and it’s something that I’ll probably wear over and over again.

Swatches (from left): MAC All That Glitters, MAC Arena, MAC Soft Brown, MAC Coquette, MAC Brun, Chanel Black Pearl

Get the Look

For the eyes, shade in the lid with a shimmery beige (MAC All That Glitters) and top off with a low shimmer peach (MAC Arena).  Mix the shimmery beige (MAC All That Glitters) and peach (MAC Arena) to highlight the inner corner and inner half of the lower lash line.  Highlight the brow bone with a shimmery champagne (Urban Decay Sin).  Lightly contour the crease with a matte warm brown (MAC Soft Brown).  Apply a matte medium taupe (MAC Coquette) to the outer corner to define the eye further.

Using a smudger brush, take a dark cool brown (MAC Brun) and smudge along the upper lash line and wing out on the outer corner.  This creates a guide for the black eyeliner liner.  Then, smudge using a creamy black liner (Giorgio Armani Waterproof Liner) over the cool brown to deepen it.  Apply the black liner to the outer third of the lower lash line.  Smudge and drag the liner to the middle, while making sure that the line tapers off at the middle.  Line the top and bottom waterlines.  Go over the black lines with a shimmery charcoal (Chanel Black Pearl from Ombres Perlées Palette).    Apply mascara (Giorgio Armani Eyes To Kill).  Optional, apply half false lashes to the outer corner (Ardell 120 Demi — cut in half; I used the shorter half because I have short lashes).

For the cheeks, dust a peachy bronzer (Dior Aurora Bronzer) over the high points of the face.

For the lips, apply a creamy nude lipstick (Vasanti Luxembourg).

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